Finding the balance: meditation versus motion

As a physio, my mantra has always been to move, to keep moving, and to move more. Our bodies are designed to move and, on the whole, movement makes us feel good. Ideally, we need to move every joint in our body through its total extent of articulation on a regular basis to maintain the full range of movement. Equally, we also need to operate our muscles through their entire range to maintain their complete length and strength.

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Those of us who have broken a bone and had a body part confined to a plaster cast for six weeks will know that inactivity for that period of time is enough to stiffen up the immobilised joint. This occurs because we have lost the full range of movement, and trying to rectify this can be extremely painful. The muscles around the joint will have begun to atrophy; they will look small and feel weak.

 

instinctively, we know we must move the joint, and that once we do we will gradually be able to return to better strength, control and range of motion. Often, tailored exercises—such as those suggested by a physio—will be required to get the function of the joint back to where it was before the injury occurred.

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It doesn’t even require an injury and plaster cast to stiffen our joints. As we age, we often inadvertently achieve the same effect simply by moving less.

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Moreover, we also need to move our whole body to work our hearts and lungs to maintain our cardiovascular health. I’m sure you are all familiar with how quickly you can lose your cardio fitness if you stop exercising for a period, whether this is due to injury, overtime at work, or even going on holiday.

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So, as a physio, I cannot stress enough how important movement is. But I would also suggest that it is beneficial to make time in our daily schedules to be still and not move. For most of us, the only time we are still is when we are asleep.

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The concept of the benefits of stillness has been of interest to me since my recent 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, during which we moved as little  as possible for 10 hours every day. We were able to move and walk at the end of every hour, which naturally felt good, but the stillness itself was quite amazing, enabling you to connect with your body and the sensations that are present. It is also a very powerful way to connect with your mind, and observe just how busy—and often chaotic—our ‘monkey mind’ can be. In the modern technology-fuelled world, we are so constantly bombarded with stimulation that it is little wonder so many of us suffer from anxiety and other mental health problems.

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Being physically still enables us to still the mind, which is the first step towards improving our mental focus, something that is incredibly difficult when we are rushing around. Just as we need to keep our bodies fit and strong, the same is true for our minds: and meditation is our mental gym.

 

There are innumerable meditation and mindfulness apps available—such as Mindfulness, Meditation Oasis, Headspace, Calm—so I would encourage you to explore a few and find what works for you. In Pilates, we started with a two-minute session of silence, and this is a good duration to begin with. As you experience the benefits, I guarantee you’ll want to extend these periods.

 

There are also meditation groups out there, such as Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre in Fairfield, Melbourne Buddhist Centre in Brunswick, Mahumundra Tibetan Buddhist Society in Melbourne, and Vipassana in Woori Yallock.

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To be both physically and mentally fit, it is necessary to find the balance between activity and inactivity. Setting aside a period of time to be still—as a counterpoint to the rest of our rushing-around lives—will help calm our minds, improve our mental clarity and focus, and enhance our sense of wellbeing, our happiness and our overall health.

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